The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 85

 

At the Crown Prince’s office, the Imperial Palace’s royal physician had rushed in to examine Kiaros.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with you—from head to toe.”

This royal physician was a specialist who had spent his life studying Dragonkin. He was also one of the few close aides who knew Kiaros was currently in his second “dark phase.”

“That can’t be.”

Kiaros frowned and muttered,

“My head feels dizzy, my stomach’s churning, my heart’s racing, and it feels like my blood’s boiling. I suddenly want to destroy everything in sight and at the same time stomp my feet and throw a tantrum. This suffocating, uncontrollable rage—I’ve never felt anything like this in my life.”

“Hmm.”

After carefully listening, the royal physician nodded decisively.

“I’ve got the diagnosis. It’s jealousy.”

“…What?”

“His Majesty once described the exact same symptoms for fifteen years straight. They all vanished after he married Her Majesty the Empress. This kind of uncontrollable emotional surge—when your feelings are finally reciprocated—it disappears like magic.”

Kiaros’s jaw dropped.

“Before that, whenever Her Majesty even laughed around male knights from the Order, His Majesty would fly out beyond the outer palace and destroy a hill or two.”

The royal physician spoke gravely.

“Good thing you’re in your dark phase. Your symptoms are already quite severe—if you weren’t in this sealed-off state, a few palace pillars would’ve been torn down by now.”

“You’re saying jealousy can cause this? Are you serious?”

“Dragonkin don’t normally fall in love. They’re beings who remain aloof and reign above others. That’s why most of them marry out of political convenience.”

That was true.

It was said that the previous generation of royals couldn’t understand why the current Emperor had rejected a political marriage. They simply couldn’t relate to the idea of loving someone romantically.

“And even if a Dragonkin does fall in love, their love usually comes easily.”

That too was fair.

Most humans revered Dragonkin—it wasn’t hard for them to win affection.

In fact, Fron had only rejected the Emperor for so long out of loyalty to Kiaros. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him.

“But when things don’t go their way… experiencing emotions for the first time becomes difficult to handle.”

The physician looked Kiaros over once more.

“Is the person in question Miss Namia Roapia?”

He couldn’t deny it. And when he remained silent, the physician sighed, as if he pitied him.

“Even after all these years of seclusion… it seems your heart never let her go.”

He hadn’t even realized it himself until recently—and yet the whole palace apparently knew.

How ironic, that the woman he’d pretended to be rejected by (to cover for his dark phase) would become the one he truly pined for…

“For the sake of the Empire’s peace, do try your best to seduce her again. Why are you wasting that face and body holed up in here?”

The physician said this with utmost seriousness.

“Or… are you lacking confidence in your charm? I’ve heard there’s a hidden master of romance in the Scroll Division—someone versed in every romance book available. Shall I track them down and ask for a strategy and diagnosis?”

Kiaros had a hunch who that so-called romance master might be. He quickly waved it off.

“No. Just tell them to stay hidden.”

“Well… if you change your mind, I’ll arrange it. Either way, be cautious.”

As he packed his medical bag, the physician added,

“If your jealousy pushes you over the edge—even in your current, sealed-off state—it can trigger an abnormal outburst of aura or magical power.”

“Really? Isn’t that a good thing?”

Kiaros’s eyes lit up—he’d been frustrated at not being able to use his powers at all.

But the royal physician shook his head solemnly.

“No, no. That kind of abnormal outburst always comes with consequences. If you don’t want to be bedridden for days afterward, be very careful.”

“Hmph.”

“And especially at the upcoming St. Cairo banquet—don’t give Miss Namia the slightest chance to be alone with another man. Otherwise, you may end up demolishing the banquet hall… and your health with it.”

“Understood.”

Kiaros replied coolly.

“So aside from jealousy, nothing else to worry about?”

“Well, do try not to get too excited. That might be even more dangerous.”

“…Excited? What do you mean?”

“Ah, well… I’m sure it’s fine. It’s not like Miss Namia would… physically touch His Highness without an emotional connection…”

The physician trailed off as if it was nothing important, bowed politely, and exited the room.

****

A large building, deep in the southern district.

Clack, clack, clack.

The echo of high heels rang through the hallway, causing a man locked in an iron cell to open his eyes.

“…You!”

The moment he tried to rise, clank!—his restraints pulled tight and locked his limbs in place.

The muscular middle-aged man collapsed awkwardly.

At the same moment, the footsteps stopped right in front of the bars.

“You still haven’t learned. You can’t control your body in your current state.”

The woman approached the cell slowly, her tone mocking.

The man, breathing heavily, looked up.

Her face was hidden behind a lavish mask. Arms crossed, she spoke in a cold voice.

“Have you thought about my offer?”

The man immediately shook his head.

“I told you. No.”

“This experiment already succeeded with others. It’s not dangerous. And once it’s complete, you’ll be set free. That, I can promise with my authority.”

“No. Let me pay back with another experiment. Just don’t touch my memories.”

She clicked her tongue and stared at him.

“You still don’t get it. The man you used to be—he doesn’t exist anymore. So why are you clinging to those memories?”

“…Because I made a promise. To my daughter. To Namia.”

His hoarse voice trembled slightly.

“I told her I’d return. That I’d come back to her no matter what. I have to keep that promise.”

The woman looked down at him in silence.

His name was Cedric Roapia.

Fifteen years ago, when he first arrived here, he’d been a slim, pale, scholarly young man.

But now, there was no trace of that once-elegant youth. The result of numerous body modification experiments.

His fair skin had tanned, and his entire frame had bulked up with dense muscle.

Only his silver hair and lake-like blue eyes remained the same.

“As a parent, one must keep their promises. Parents are the first world a child encounters. If a child can’t trust their parents, they can’t trust the world. In human society, trust is everything because—”

Even now, he still talked like a textbook-wielding lecturer.

The woman groaned and cut him off.

“Ugh, can you not? So the answer’s no?”

“No.”

Cedric answered firmly.

“If I lose my memories, then even if I’m freed… I won’t remember that I need to find Namia…”

“You’ll forget everything anyway, so what difference does it make?”

“It doesn’t make a difference to me.”

Cedric’s voice now carried a faint, sorrowful smile.

“To me—it stopped mattering a long time ago. But what does matter… is Namia. My Namia, who’s probably still waiting and worrying every single day.”

“…”

“If you must conduct a memory experiment on me, then there’s one condition.”

“…What is it.”

“Tell Namia the whole truth.”

The man, now built like a human weapon, spoke in a calm, steady voice.

“Tell her I joined the Reformist Faction of my own accord and sold myself as a test subject. That this wretched organization has experimented on me for 15 years and now wants to tamper with my memories too. That whether I disappear or forget everything, I won’t be able to return to her—and so I chose the latter. Ask for her understanding.”

“Hey.”

The woman burst out, half laughing in disbelief.

“Think about it. Does that sound even remotely reasonable?”

“It doesn’t? Then I refuse. I’ll just wait for this horrible criminal organization to collapse.”

“We’re not collapsing!”

She screamed, clearly agitated.

“Don’t those restraints make every day unbearable? Don’t you want to be free?”

At that, Cedric lowered his gaze.

Due to the experiments, he had gained immense power.

Ironically, that made the organization fear him—and so they’d attached multiple restraints to his body. They caused him constant pain simply by being worn.

“I’ll manage.”

He showed no sign of pain as he replied.

“I can endure far worse.”

“Why are you so obsessed with that promise? It’s been fifteen years!”

“I told you already. But I guess you need to hear it again, since once isn’t enough.”

He continued, still gently, as if delivering a lecture.

“A parent is a child’s first world. That trust is the foundation of—”

The woman flinched, turned on her heel, and groaned.

“Ugh, forget it. Let me know if you change your mind. I’m leaving.”

“…You.”

Cedric finally paused, then spoke to her back in a low voice.

“Why are you so desperate to erase my memories?”